ON THIS DATE (39 YEARS AGO)
August 4, 1975 - Rainbow: Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow is released.
# ALL THINGS MUSIC PLUS+ 4/5
# Allmusic 2.5/5
# Rolling Stone (see original review below)
Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow is the first album by Ritchie Blackmore's solo band Rainbow, released on August 4, 1975. It reached #30 on the Billboard 200 Top LP's chart.
During studio sessions in Tampa Bay, Florida on 12 December 1974, Blackmore originally planned to record the solo single "Black Sheep of the Family"- a cover of a track by the band Quatermass from 1970. The newly composed "Sixteenth Century Greensleeves" was to be the B-side. Other musicians involved included singer/lyricist Ronnie James Dio and drummer Gary Driscoll of blues rock band Elf, keyboardist Matthew Fisher formerly of Procol Harum, and cellist Hugh McDowell of ELO. Satisfied with the two tracks, Blackmore decided to extend the sessions to a full album.For the album the other members of Elf, keyboardist Micky Lee Soule and bassist Craig Gruber were utilised. The album was recorded in Musicland Studios in Munich, Germany during February-March 1975. Though it was originally thought to be a solo album, the record was billed as Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, and later progressed to a new band project. After British maestro guitarist Ritchie Blackmore left Deep Purple in 1974, he recruited Purple Records signees Elf as his backing band. And although Rainbow's 1975 debut was only a hint of future greatness, the album more than holds its own.
Elf was led by dramatic metal vocalist Ronnie James Dio, who seemed to connect with Blackmore in quite a chemical fashion. "Man on the Silver Mountain" is prime material, as is the six-minute blues-metal classic "Catch the Rainbow." Dio's shining vocals, shown to great effect here, have been emulated by hard rock vocalists throughout the years. "The Temple of the King" is another highlight, showcasing Blackmore's emotional guitar licks. "Sixteenth Century Greensleeves" is the group's ode to medieval times. "Still I'm Sad" is an instrumental jam that closes the album. Blackmore's fretwork, while speedy, comes from the heart. Although Rainbow's incarnations would change through the years, the drive and energy of the original lineup holds a special place in hard rock history. A worthy purchase for the connoisseurs of the genre.
ORIGINAL ROLLING STONE REVIEW
It would appear, on the basis of his new band's debut album, that Ritchie Blackmore has gone to a lot of unnecessary trouble just to let everyone know (as if we didn't already) that 1) he can play his instrument and 2) there's a "t" in his first name Rainbow is a completely (and most likely intentionally) anonymous group: drummer Gary Driscoll, bass player Craig Gruber and key-boardist Mickey Lee Soule are adequate and subservient throughout. The only non-Blackmore solo is some under-mixed piano tinkling on "If You Don't Like Rock 'n' Roll" and singer Ronnie James Dio has the standard hard rock lead vocal down pat, with little individual style but plenty of lung power. As for Blackmore himself, there's an inordinate amount of subtlety in his soloing here (there's little to do but step out, and he chooses not to), and with the exception of a rather highly charged instrumental reworking of the Yardbirds' "Still I'm Sad," he seems listless and bored in relation to past performances, specifically Machine Head, which looks more and more like an achievement of accident rather than design. (RS 198)
~ Billy Altman (October 23, 1975)
TRACKS:
All music written by Ritchie Blackmore and Ronnie James Dio except where noted, all lyrics written by Ronnie James Dio except where noted.
Side one
1. "Man on the Silver Mountain" - 4:42
2. "Self Portrait" - 3:17
3. "Black Sheep of the Family" (Dio, Steve Hammond) - 3:22
4. "Catch the Rainbow" - 6:27
Side two
1. "Snake Charmer" - 4:33
2. "The Temple of the King" - 4:45
3. "If You Don't Like Rock 'n' Roll" - 2:38
4. "Sixteenth Century Greensleeves" - 3:31
5. "Still I'm Sad" (Dio, Paul Samwell-Smith, Jim McCarty) - 3:51
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